Overview

HFBI Online is committed to providing quality education to all students while ensuring the financial sustainability of our institution. This payment policy is designed to be fair, transparent, and compliant with South African laws, allowing students to manage their payments effectively while maintaining access to their courses.

Payment Terms

1. Subscription (Debit-order) Payment Method: Students are required to pay their subscription fees via PayFast, with automatic monthly deductions from their bank accounts.

2. Deduction Schedule: The subscription fee will be deducted on the same initial registration date each month.

3. Payment Failure Process:

   • If a payment fails due to insufficient funds, PayFast will automatically attempt to deduct the payment again the next day at 00:00.

   • If the second payment attempt also fails, the subscription will be paused, and the student will be notified, and an administration fee of R100.00 will be applied to the account.

4. Administration Fee for Failed Payments: If a payment fails due to insufficient funds in the student’s bank account, an administration fee of R100.00 will be applied. This fee will be added to the monthly fee and divided equally among the remaining monthly payment amounts.

• Example: If a student has 5 remaining monthly payments of R500.00 each and incurs a failed payment, the R100.00 fee is added to the remaining balance of R2500.00, making it R2600.00. The new monthly payment amount will be R2600.00 divided by 5, which is R520.00 per month.

• The administration fee will apply for each payment failure; therefore, if a student’s payment fails repeatedly each month, they will incur a total of R1,200.00 in administration fees for the year.

Grace Period

1. Notification and Grace Period: Upon the second payment failure, students will be given a one-week grace period (7 calendar days) to:

   • Deposit the required funds into their account to allow for successful payment, or

   • Renegotiate the subscription date with the Bible school administration.

2. Access During Grace Period: During this one-week period, students will retain full access to their courses.

3. Resolution Deadline: If the payment is not resolved within the one-week grace period, access to courses will be suspended until the payment is made.

Notification Process

1. First Payment Failure: A notification will be sent to the student after the first payment failure, informing them of the issue and the upcoming second attempt.

2. Second Payment Failure: If the second payment attempt fails, a second notification will be sent, informing the student that:

   • The subscription is paused, and a R100.00 administration fee is incurred.

   • They have one week to resolve the payment issue.

3. Notification Methods: Notifications will be sent via email and/or WhatsApp, using the contact details provided by the student.

Renegotiation

1. Request for Renegotiation: Students who are unable to make the payment within the grace period may request to renegotiate the subscription date.

2. Submission of Request: Renegotiation requests must be made in writing (via email) to the Bible school administration within the one-week grace period.

3. Evaluation of Requests: The Bible school administration will consider each request on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the student’s circumstances and the Bible school’s policies. Approval of the renegotiation is not guaranteed and will depend on the feasibility of the proposed arrangement.

Suspension of Access

1. Suspension After Grace Period: If the payment is not resolved within the one-week grace period, access to courses will be suspended.

2. Impact of Suspension: Suspended students will not be able to:

   • Participate in classes.

   • Access course materials.

   • Receive grades or progress updates.

3. Reinstatement of Access:

   • Access will be reinstated immediately once the payment is successfully made or a new payment arrangement is agreed upon.

   • Students must pay any outstanding fees before reinstatement.

   • Administration fees incurred will be added to the remaining balance as stated in the Administration Fee for Failed Payments.

4. Extended Non-Payment: If payment is not received within 30 calendar days of suspension, the Bible school may consider further actions, such as withdrawal from the course, per the Bible school’s withdrawal policy.

Catching Up on Missed Work

1. During Suspension: During the 30-day suspension period before payment is made, students will not have access to course materials, lectures, or quizzes due to the suspension of their subscription. As a result, catching up on missed classes and quizzes during this period will not be possible.

2. Catch-Up Period After Reinstatement: Upon reinstatement after payment is made, students will have 10 calendar days to catch up on all missed work, including lectures, assignments, and quizzes.

3. Support for Catching Up: The Bible school will provide an extension of quiz and assignment submission dates to 10 calendar days after reinstatement.

4. Consequences of Not Catching Up: If a student fails to complete the missed work within the 7-day catch-up period, they will not be eligible for graduation, as they will not have met the course requirements.

5. Extenuating Circumstances: In cases of extenuating circumstances (e.g., illness, family emergencies), students may request an extension of the catch-up period. Such requests must be submitted in writing (via email) to the Bible school administration and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Compliance with Laws

This policy is designed to comply with South African laws, including those protecting the right to education and the best interests of the student. The Bible school will ensure that all actions taken under this policy are reasonable, fair, and in line with legal requirements for private educational institutions. Specifically:

• Private schools in South Africa may suspend students for non-payment of fees, but only after following fair procedures, including adequate warning and opportunities to resolve the issue.

Contact Information

For any questions or concerns regarding this policy, please contact the Bible school administration at:

• Email: info@hfbi.co.za

• Phone: +27 61 672 9354

Additional Notes

• This policy applies to all students enrolled in subscription-based courses.

• Students are encouraged to keep their contact details up to date to ensure they receive all notifications.

• The Bible school reserves the right to amend this policy as necessary, with updates communicated to all students.